I hate the reason I was moved to write this book because my beloved friend Lisa was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer less than two years ago.

I first met Lisa... the REAL Lisa... when she and her husband Jeff came to my house a dozen years ago to talk about watching their newborn daughter Taylor....

You can see Taylor here:

She's the older daughter on the left... my granddaughter Emma was the model for the younger sister in this sweet book.... How precious are they?

So back to the interview with Lisa and Jeff... we live on a farm. In an old house. Life is interesting here and during the interview, Beth discovered a SNAKE on the basement stairs... Luke went running to help her even though he hates snakes... they dispatched the snake with a lot of typical teen theatrics and laughter...

Interview over, right????? Because who would leave their precious 3 month-old daughter in SNAKE HOUSE??????

But, no. Jeff and Lisa thought that if a brother and sister could work together to laugh over disposing of a snake IN THE HOUSE that we must be doing something right. (Silly them!!!)

:)

Four kids and many snakes later (and the occasional mouse and one young squirrel...) we hit the brick wall of breast cancer. Lisa went on the offense with strength, power, prayer, courage and some tears... She dealt with two rounds of chemo... a bi-lateral mastectomy... weeks of radiation.... restructure surgery... loss of hair, loss of weight, all the downsides you associate with fighting this disease.

And today she's doing well... She looks great, she's back to work, I'm annoying her children as always and making fun of her in the nicest way possible...

I love this book. I love how it turned out, how I walked into Van Putte's Garden Center days after Lisa sat on my porch explaining the diagnosis and they were holding a Breast Cancer Appreciation Day.... And I could picture my heroine, running the show, fighting cancer tooth and nail... With everything at her disposal... While a young father struggles to put his life together after losing his beloved wife.

Cancer is indiscriminate. I pray daily for Lisa... for her family... and for researchers to unlock the key to making cancer no more a problem than polio... or tuberculosis... or any of the diseases we've eradicated through generations of faith/time/money/research.

This is a happy book... a feel good story of God's love and new beginnings and one woman's fight to make a difference in her corner of the world.

For a personal glimpse into the REAL Lisa's life, check out this book trailer created by Beth Jamison (former stairway snake fighter!!!) in honor of Lisa, Jeff and "The Lawman's Second Chance": BOOK TRAILER

And the three kids on the cover of "The Lawman's Second Chance" were modeled by Taylor, McKenna and Nolan Tydings....

Lisa's three oldest children. Brody Tydings was busy waging dinosaur wars with Fisher Price Rescue Workers swooping in to save the "little people" from the T-Rex's.

This is Brody, Megan and Elijah reading "Yuletide Hearts"... on the table, of course, because that's where everyone reads, right? Last winter.... Clearly we consider reading to be a Most Valuable Skill!!! :)

I hope you love this book and I ask you to join me in prayer for Lisa and all of the women fighting breast cancer... for cancer victims/patients of all kinds... and for research to rid us of this dreadful disease.

2 comments:

Ruthy, I just finished Lawman's Second Chance. Wow! I am deeply moved by the story, how you portrayed it, so unafraid to get into the gritty stuff, the doubts, the anger, the sadness. But also the hope, the joy, the love. I have been touched by cancer in an oblique way. About 30 years ago I attended the funeral of a friend who had lost the battle with breast cancer. It broke my heart to look at her two children, the oldest a girl of ten with blonde braids. I lost touch with the family. Fast forward many years and my 20-something son and I took our dog to the vet... who was none other than that little girl, all grown up. Fast forward again. They've been married almost 12 years and have two boys of their own. There are truly sad endings. But there are also real happy endings. And real romance.

My congratulations to you for a great story, and my kudos to the "real" Lisa and her family for allowing you to put her story (their story) at the heart of your story.

I aspire... and am working... to become a published author, with my sights set on Love Inspired. It's a tall order with writers like you out there, Ruthy. I read and re-read your stories (among other faves) to learn the intricacies of it.

Thanks for a wonderful story. Adn for your previous great stories. I love your droll and dry sense of humour, the children in your stories... they are real kids who have meltdowns, who stamp their feet, but who say charming things.

List of upcoming books and novellas!!!

Home on the Range

Nick Stafford didn't ride off, chasing some dream... He stayed home, helping his father build a world-renowned ranch. Now his brothers are back and his father's sick and if you want to call Nick frustrated, well.. you wouldn't be wrong. He's the son who chose to stay, but so far, staying is only half the battle... And this is his story.

Their Surprise Daddy

When two illegal immigrant children face severe consequences, can their two law-appointed guardians find a way to keep them safe, happy and maybe offer them a home-sweet-home together? The last thing the youngest Gallagher sister wants is to be attracted to a wealthy, stuck-on-himself Manhattan money-mover, but as she works side-by-side with handsome Cruz Maldonado, she sees the scarred man beneath the brilliance... and the tender heart he tries so hard to hide. I hope you love this beautiful story of sacrificial love and coming home... to Grace Haven, a town full of heart and hope.

Peace in the Valley

And here it is, the story you've been waiting for. The third son, not by birth but by design: God's design. The one whose destiny lay intertwined with so many others, the one whose golden future was born of a dismal past. Trey's story, the country crooner who comes home searching for what he never really lost in the first place: love.

Book Signing!!!

These lovely gals from the Parma Public Library have graciously hosted me several times! The Friends of the Parma Public Library have been wonderfully supportive of my work and they are just the nicest bunch of people you'll ever meet. Giving a shout out to all of you gals, and a huge thank you!

Oh my stars, thanks for comin' over!!!

Yes, it's me, once again bothering innocent people and shamelessly exploiting small children and animals to sell wonderful sweet books that make you feel just a little bit better about most everything when you're done with them. I try to write the kind of book I like to READ... It just makes sense, doesn't it? :) If you click on the books below, they spring to life with a link to Amazon. I even make buying EASY for you. And inviting. If you can't afford the books (been there, done that, totally understandable) ask your local library to get them in. They're wonderful. I promise.

Woman's World article

Oh my stars!!! Huge thanks to Woman's World and Carla for choosing Winter's End as a BEST BEACH READ!

About Me

Ruth Logan Herne likes to be called “Ruthy”, she loves God, her family, her country, coffee and chocolate, thinks snakes should always live outside, possums should leave the cat food on the side porch alone and all grandchildren should be named for her.
A mother and grandmother to seriously smart young people, she writes stories of humor, hope and faith, embracing God’s love and life’s opportunities. Now an established author with Love Inspired Books, her North Country books secured the coveted 4 ½ Star Romantic Times rating and Philosophy of Romance named Made to Order Family their “Book of the Year” for 2010.
Her 2011 series is set in Allegany County, NY, one of the most gorgeous places on Earth. All three books have received a 4-Star rating! Set in the foothills of the Allegheny range, a Brigadoon-type town is coaxed back to life through love, romance, hard work and a strengthening economy. These are stories of new beginnings and righting old wrongs...
Ruthy is also proud that "Winter's End" has been nominated for the prestigious Carol Award for Christian fiction AND that "Winter's End" received the Holt Medallion Award of Merit for best first book.
Amazing.